Recent innovations in 3D chip, die and wafer (hereinafter wafer) integration have enabled a greater miniaturization of devices as well as technological advancements in speed, density, power consumption, and cost. Further cost-effective miniaturization is presently hindered by bonding related issues affecting the manufacturability and mass production of TSV based 3D IC stacks. Current bonding processes, e.g., copper-to-copper (Cu—Cu) bonding, oxide bonding, soldering bonding, or other polymer bonding processes, fail to adequately address the industry's increasing requirements for precision alignment, bonding strength, electrical interconnection, and manufacturability.
A need therefore exists for methodology enabling the fabrication of 3D IC stacks with improved alignment, bonding strength, electrical interconnection, and manufacturability, and the resulting device.